Local School Students Learn All About the World of Water

12.00.00am GMT Mon 23rd Mar 2009

Michael German learns how to filter river with Durand School students - water ready to drink!

Durand Primary School in Caldicot held special events during World Water Week, with special visitors from Dwr Cymru-Welsh Water and a visit by a local Assembly Member, who joined children to learn about why water is a precious resource.

Local Liberal Democrat Assembly Member, Michael German, visited the school and joined one class to learn about the lives of rivers, how rivers feed the local environment and all about the creatures and plants that depend on water and what valuable resource water really is.

Afterwards, Mr. German helped students to filter river water to make it drinkable.

"We had a really important lesson about water, and how scarce it really is and how we need to conserve water. I've learned now why I need to turn off the tap when brushing my teeth - I'll be saving the equivalent of two full baths of water a month!" said Mr. German.

Durand School is being presented with hippo bags and other materials to help the school's Eco-Council to complete a water audit and help the school save water, such as Hippo bags for toilet cisterns. This could save the school about £600 a year. "This is a major saving," said Michael German, "and means extra money for education materials not water bills."

The whole school was treated to a special presentation at school assembly time by Welsh Water about the work that employees are doing to help harness fresh water for communities in Africa. They were also helped to celebrate the school's work during World Water Week by a first time musical treat from the newly formed Durand School band "Deep Red", established just the previous week.

Speaking as he left the school, saying goodbye to students, Mr. German said he would be fitting Hippo bags to his cisterns that weekend, "and I'll be turning off taps when brushing my teeth! I've learned some important tips on saving water today."

Hippo Bags are available from Dwr Cymru-Welsh Water for any customer in Wales on-line at http://www.dwrcymru.co.uk or by calling 0800 052 0145.